for which the Japanese could bid on an equal footing with Russian subjects 
whenever they were offered to the general public. 99/ The Japanese were 
to suffer no discrimination in such matters as taxes, duties or regulations. 
The fishery lots were bid for at annual auctions; the Japanese 
did not like this system which emphasized Russian sovereignity but they 
accepted it until 1919. Then they virtually seized the fishery lots, 
collected the lease rents themselves and continued fishing without a 
formal agreement. In 1924 a makeshift agreement reviving the 1907 order 
was reached and with the renewal of diplomatic relations in 1925 negotia¬ 
tions began for a new convention to work out the fishery problems. 1/ 
This was finally completed and signed in 1928. During the entire period 
from 1907 until 1928 the Japanese worked 80 percent or more of the lots. 
The treaty of 1928 modified some of the provisions of 1907. Under 
the new articles, although auctioning of lots continued to be the general 
rule, lot8 could be leased by mutual agreement without public auction. 
It provided for leases varying from 1 to 5 years, except for lots 
attached to canneries which had ten year leases. Following this new 
convention the Soviets undertook a more vigorous exploitation of the 
fisheries and in the years following up to the present disputes have 
been numerous. 2/ Japan has consistently tried to maintain and enlarge 
99/ The leasee of a lot is entitled to the use of the territorial water 
and certain area of land for shore establishments, 
l/ After the Russian Revolution Japan withheld recognition of the 
Soviet Government. The Treaty of Peking (1925) re-established diplo¬ 
matic relations between the two nations. 
2/ Many of the disputes centered about changes in the exchange rate 
of the yen. Bickerings on this point occurred, for example, in 1930-31 
and again in 1934-35. 
- 186 - 
X6-031" P215 bu 
